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Charles Wolfe (poet)
Rev. Charles Wolfe (14 December 1791 - 21 February 1823) was an Irish poet and cleric, whose “Burial of Sir John Moore” (1817) is one of the best-known funeral elegies in English. Life Overview Wolfe, son of a landed gentleman in Kildare, was born in Dublin, where he completed his education at Trinity College, having previously been at Winchester. He took orders, and was rector of Donoughmere, but his health failed, and he died of consumption at 32. He is remembered for a short, but universally known and admired poem, "The Burial of Sir John Moore," which 1st appeared anonymously in the Newry Telegraph in 1817.John William Cousin, "Wolfe, Charles," A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: Dent / New York: Dutton, 1910, 413. Wikisource, Web, Mar. 20, 2018. Youth and education Wolfe was born at Blackhall, co. Kildare, one of a family of 11 children and the youngest of 8 sons of Theobald Wolfe of Blackhall, a cousin to Arthur Wolfe, first viscount Kilworden. Theobald Wolfe died when Charles was 8 years old, and the poet was brought up in England by his mother, Frances, daughter of Rev. Peter Lombard. He was educated first at Bath, and afterwards at the Abbey high school, Winchester.Falkiner, 295. In 1809 he matriculated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he obtained a scholarship in 1812, and earned a B.A. in 1814. It is within the 8 years between his entrance at the university and his ordination in 1817 that the period of his poetical activity is almost exclusively comprised. He also attained great distinction in the college historical society. It was in competition for the medals of this society that Wolfe's talent for versification was 1st employed, and his poem on ‘Patriotism,’ and a more important one, ‘Jugurtha,’ written for the vice-chancellor's prize, show considerable merit. Though his academic career was distinguished, Wolfe declined to read for a fellowship, because he was unwilling to pledge himself to celibacy. Career In November 1817 Wolfe took holy orders, being ordained for the curacy of Ballyclog, co. Tyrone, which after a few weeks he exchanged for the more important one of Donoughmore, in co. Down. Here he laboured assiduously and successfully for 3 years; but the disappointment at the rejection of his addresses by the lady for whose sake he had abandoned the prospect of an academic career, acting on a constitution never robust, quickly sowed the seeds of consumption. In 1821 he was compelled to abandon his work. After 2 years passed in a vain quest of health he moved to the Cove of Cork, where he died, aged 31, on 21 February 1823. He was buried in the ruined church of Clonmel outside the Cove of Cork. Writing "The Burial of Sir John Moore" Wolfe is remembered almost solely for his famous lines on the burial of Sir John Moore, the commander of the British forces at the Battle of Corunna (La Coruña, Spain) during the Peninsular War. The poem's origin, and the many spurious claims put forward to its authorship, form an interesting chapter in literary history. Originally published in the Newry Telegraph on 19 April 1817, they had been for many years forgotten when the praises bestowed on them by Byron in January 1822 — "such an ode as only Campbell could have written," as reported by Medwin in his Conversations (ed. 1824, pp. 164-6) — drew general attention to the elegy. Byron's regretful repudiation of their authorship, and Medwin's hints that the stanzas were really by his hero, brought forward friends to justify Wolfe's title and establish his fame. It was clearly proved that the lines were written in 1816 in the rooms of Samuel O'Sullivan, a college friend, their suggestion being immediately due to Wolfe's perusal of Southey's account in the Edinburgh Annual Register of Sir John Moore's death. After being handed about among Wolfe's college friends the lines were, through the Rev. Mark Perrin, published in the Newry Telegraph, from which they were transferred to various journals, and printed in Blackwood's Magazine in June 1817 (i. 277). Notwithstanding O'Sullivan's testimony, confirmed by that of other friends, several fictitious claims to the authorship of the poem were put forward. A curious account of 1of them, which ultimately proved to be a hoax, may be found in Richardson's Borderer's Table Book, vol. vii. In 1841 the claim of a Mr. Macintosh, a parish schoolmaster, was put forward in the Edinburgh Advertiser and strongly supported. On this occasion the indignant remonstrances of Wolfe's friends were reinforced by the discovery by Thomas Luby, late vice-provost of Trinity College, Dublin, among the papers of a deceased brother who had been a college friend of Wolfe, of an autograph letter from Wolfe containing a copy of the stanzas. This letter was made by John Anster, who was a friend of the poet, the subject of a communication to the Royal Irish Academy which set all discussion as to the authenticity of Wolfe's claim finally at rest.Falkiner, 296. Other poetry The poetical achievements of Wolfe fill but a few pages in the memorial volumes (mainly composed of sermons) published in 1825 by his friend John Russell, archdeacon of Clogher. Exclusive of some boyish productions, they number no more than 15 pieces, all of them written almost at random, without any idea of publication, and preserved almost by accident. These, however, present the potentials of a poet of no mean order. The testimony of many contemporaries, afterwards eminent, confirms the impression which his other lyrics convey, that the lines on the burial of Sir John Moore are not, as has been represented, a mere freak of intellect, but the fruit of a temperament and genius essentially poetic. Critical introduction by Edmund Gosse The famous ode on "The Burial of Sir John Moore :was first printed in The Newry Telegraph, an Ulster newspaper, in 1817, with the initials C.W. It was copied into the English papers, and won an instant popularity, but the slight evidence of authorship seems to have dropped out of sight at once. Byron’s friends charged him with its composition, but he regretfully disowned it, reading it meanwhile to all his friends with enthusiasm, among others to Shelley, who remarked, "I should have taken the whole for a rough sketch of Campbell’s." Almost immediately it took its place among the four or five best martial poems in our language, preeminent for simplicity, patriotic fervour, and manly pathos. It was presently discovered that this poem had been written some years before it was printed, by a young Irishman of much promise who died of a decline in his 32nd year. When this fact became known, public curiosity was attracted to his name, and an attempt was made by one of his early friends to collect what he had written. Only twelve short pieces, besides the ode, could be discovered; they were mostly songs of love and friendship, full of ardour, and not uninfluenced by the popular Irish manner of Moore.from Edmund Gosse, "Critical Introduction: Charles Wolfe (1791–1823)," The English Poets: Selections with critical introductions (edited by Thomas Humphry Ward). New York & London: Macmillan, 1880-1918. Web, Mar. 9, 2016. Recognition There is a plaque to his memory in the church at Castlecaulfield, the village where he lived while Curate at Donaghmore, as well as a marble monument to him at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. His poems, "The Burial of Sir John Moore after Corunna" and "To Mary", were included in the Oxford Book of English Verse, (1250-1900)."The Burial of Sir John Moore after Corunna", Oxford Book of English Verse, 1250-1900 (edited by Arthur Quiller-Couch), Oxford, UK: Clarendon, 1919. Bartleby.com, Web, May 12, 2012. "To Mary", Oxford Book of English Verse, 1250-1900 (edited by Arthur Quiller-Couch), Oxford, UK: Clarendon, 1919. Bartleby.com, Web, May 12, 2012. Publications Poetry *''The Poems of Charles Wolfe'' (memoir by C. Litton Falkiner). London: A.H. Bullen, 1903. *''The Burial of Sir John Moore, and other poems'' (memoir by C. Litton Falkiner). London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1909. *''The Burial of Sir John Moore, and other poems'' (edited by Francis Wrangham). New York: Garland, 1979. (different from 1909 edition). Collected editions *''Remains of the Late Rev. Charles Wood: With a brief memoir of his life'' (edited by John Abraham Russell). London: Hamilton, Adams, 1827. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Charles Wolfe, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Dec. 14, 2013. See also * List of Irish poets References * * MCGUFFY'S ECLECTIC READER SERIES, No.5 READER, page 301, with text of Poem "THE BURIAL OF SIR JOHN MOORE". jnokgray@yahoo.com 19 December 2008 Notes External links ;Poems * Selected Poetry of Charles Wolfe (1791-1823) ("The Burial of Sir John Moore after Corunna") at Representative Poetry Online *Charles Wolfe in the Oxford Book of English Verse, 1250-1900: "The Burial of Sir John Moore after Corunna," "To Mary" *Wolfe in The English Poets: An anthology: "The Burial of Sir John Moore at Corunna," Song: ‘O say not that my heart is cold’ * Charles Wolfe at PoemHunter (4 poems) *Charles Wolfe at Poetry Nook (5 poems) ;Audio / video *Charles Wolfe at YouTube ;About *Wolfe, Charles in the [[Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition|1911 Encyclopædia Britannica]] * Charles Wolfe in the Cambridge History of English and American Literature * Charles Wolfe at Find a Grave. * Wolfe, Charles Category:Deaths from tuberculosis Category:Irish poets Category:People from County Kildare Category:1791 births Category:1823 deaths Category:18th-century Irish people Category:19th-century Irish people Category:Infectious disease deaths in Ireland Category:19th-century poets Category:Poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets who died before 35